I keep the card in the photo as a reminder of where I used to be, and the sense of peace and love I have now...

It reads:

“I accept & respect & love all of me... I AM Worth It! I Love Me... Therefore I am Not Alone!”

I used to repeat it every night before writing in my gratitude journal. When I first said those words... I didn’t believe them... I felt hollow, sad, and alone

How about for you? Do you accept yourself for who you are and the gifts you have? -OR- Do you avoid looking in the mirror and are hypercritical of yourself?

Over time... as I practiced gratitude, mindfulness, shifted my mindset, and self-care... the words took root, blossomed, and flourished in my soul!

I was able to completely accept myself, love me for who I am, and how I show up in this world...curves, crooked teeth, menopausal tummy rolls, perceived quirks, and all!

You can have gratitude for so many areas of your life...but even more critical is self-acceptance and gratitude for yourself; if you want to live a soul-Full and joy-Filled life!

Each and every one of us is beautiful, powerful, interesting, intelligent, creative, and unique!

Take time to consider practicing self-acceptance and gratitude for your uniqueness and the gifts you have! You won’t regret it.

I LOVE this poem by Donna Ashworth! It captures the essence of the self-love and acceptance struggles so many of us have with ourselves:

Mirror Mirror On The Wall,

I do not care if I’m big or small.

You see, I found out long ago,

That looking at you brings such woe.

And so, instead, I looked within,

And decided then that I’d begin,

To see myself clear in my head,

And take away the mirror dread.

So now when I catch my reflection,

I do not notice my complexion,

Instead I see a friend I know,

Someone I love, from head to toe.

So maybe if you feel this way,

Let these words lead the way,

The mirror should not be your foe,

It’s time to let that struggle go.

Be kind to you... accept you... be thankful for you!

-Taz